Lando Norris Edges Out Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice Session
The British driver has beaten Oscar Piastri at each of the last five race weekends.
Lando Norris just pipped team-mate and championship contender the Australian for the fastest time in the closing stages of practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Norris, who grabbed the championship lead from his teammate by a single point after taking the win in Mexico City a fortnight back, beat the Melbourne-born driver by 0.023 seconds.
Until that point, Oscar Piastri had been the quickest of the McLaren pair during the running before sprint qualifying scheduled for the evening session.
Max Verstappen, the sole remaining contender in realistic title contention, sitting 36 points behind behind Norris, ended up in 17th place as his team opted for a alternative strategy.
Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the only driver to have an incident, albeit lightly, when he spun at the fourth corner during the early running.
Tsunoda spun out over the exit kerbs before sliding over the run-off area, and was lucky to get away with just a light touch of the wall.
Ferrari's the seven-time champion also lost it, at the final moments of the session, spinning around through the fast downhill Mergulho corner approaching the final corner on to the pit straight.
Hamilton wrapped up in 19th, just behind team-mate the Monegasque driver.
Norris and Piastri were far ahead of the rest of the field, with the German's Sauber third fastest, 0.619secs slower than Piastri's pace.
Aston Martin's the Spanish driver was in fourth, with the Sauber of Bortoleto ahead of the Mercedes of George Russell and the Alpine of Gasly and Williams' Carlos Sainz.
